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Posts Tagged ‘Branding’
What’s Your Voice?
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011 by Jason StrattonWe have all done it, you see a cute puppy or kitten or any kind of baby animal. Your voice changes to that of a 4 year old as you try to talk and make this adorable creature smile – “hello little puppy”, “Your soooo cute”, you get the idea. You’re probably saying it out loud right now as you read this – I did every time I proofed this post. This honest voice is to be pleasant, soothing, trusting or to just share a smile. Usually the response is great, you get a purr or a wagging tail or even some polite slobber if you’re lucky.
So how in the world does this relate to marketing? Ask yourself this – “What is our company’s “customer” voice?” I’m not saying to talk to your customer like a puppy, unless that’s your customer, but to force yourself into that state of being the most honest and polite voice you can. By honest, I mean that your voice, or the voice of your employee is the voice of the brand, and your staff are the ambassadors of that brand. The way we speak to a customer, the way we “handle” them are reflections of the brand. We’ve seen it time and time again—we approach a sales counter—no eye contact, no hello, just “what can I do for you” in a monotone. That is your first impression of the brand. On the other hand, the glad-handing, high energy sales rep with a commission gleam in his eye is also a reflection of the brand. So if the brand experience, not to mention the product, falls short of your expectation, are you going to purchase from that company again? Not likely. That’s because those companies don’t care, or are talking to you in the voice they think you want to hear. But when the voice and the product live up to or exceeds your expectation, you become a repeat customer.
When you get to your true voice, your honest voice, then you are showing your brand, your identity, who you are and why it matters. Those who take the risk of being out there for the world to understand receive the largest gains. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to build more likes on your Facebook page or selling million dollar yachts’, your voice needs to say who you are in the most honest way possible.
Here is a portion of the definition for “human voice” provided by Wikipedia:
“The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds, a body part, for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc.”
So you see, we are born with the ability to change our voice, but can you speak to your customer, your staff and/or your investors in your best brand voice? Do you need help with your Brand Voice? – Force 5 can help. Oh, we can help with the puppy voice too. Our staff members, Brady and Sophie can be ready at a moment’s notice!
A Fresh, New Look
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011 by Butch Whitmire
The Twykenham Bridge is located just a half a block away from our offices at Force 5. We’ve been watching this old bridge being renovated with great anticipation. (Details can be found here in the South Bend Tribune.) It’s amazing to see what a remodel can do. With it’s new look, the bridge again inspires confidence in those who transverse it and a sense of wonder in those who view it from a distance. It’s simply beautiful.
“In this economy, now just isn’t a good time to redo my … (fill in the marketing tactic)”
I disagree. Now is exactly the time.
How long has it been since you’ve looked at your business? At your brand support materials? Is it time for a web site renovation? A fresh coat of paint on that tired brochure? Does your customer service need reinforcement so that people feel confident when they rely on you?
Are you ready to polish up your business, your dream, and give it the fresh, new look it needs to weather today and tomorrow? If so, what will be the first thing you renovate?
Two examples of great local Brand Ambassadors!
Monday, September 13th, 2010 by Deb DeFreeuwAs a Certified Brand Strategist here at Force 5, I am always on the look out for brand done well and brand that needs help. Both are easy to spot. I have found two examples of wonderful brand ambassadors locally and want to share them with you.
The first example of a great brand ambassador is one of my favorite people, Andrew Snyder, Vice President, Community Development and Marketing at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. You can’t help but notice that Andrew is always impeccably dressed and has a quick wit. That alone does not make a brand ambassador. It goes deeper than that. While meeting with Andrew, we traveled from the lobby through the hospital to get to a conference room. Andrew said hello to EVERY person he passed along the way. Not a polite hello, but a genuine “hello, how are you?” We passed a lot of people on our way and every time it was the same. It is a small thing, but just adds to his personal brand, and the brand of the hospital. That brand is “caring.”
Most times it is the small things that bring your brand up a notch from good to great. It is how people in your organization present themselves and reflect the company brand.
The second example I have of brand done well can be found at one of my favorite places, somewhere I have visited since I was a little girl, the South Bend Farmers Market. There is a booth there called “A Dedicated Life” owned by Cara Matheis. Cara’s booth specializes in organic, vegan and gluten free foods. The booth is attractive and easy to browse, but that does not make it exceptional. What makes it exceptional is Cara herself. I stopped by her booth and talked to her about her raw bars. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. The other thing that I have always noticed about Cara is how she presents herself. There were times in August when it was very hot and there is Cara with a stylish dress, headband and big smile. Not what you would necessarily expect of a vendor at a farmers market. Always put together and looking stylish – as well as approachable. It’s these qualities that make her brand exceptional.
It’s a good reminder on how everything, from how you answer the phone to the presentation of your product on the shelf, represents your brand. Both of these stories are great examples of internal branding. The takeaway here is that your brand must be internalized before any external branding is undertaken. We have all had bad customer service encounters where the experience didn’t match the brand. Whatever your brand, make sure its internalized first—making your employees are ambassadors of your brand will always be your first step to success.
If you’d like to find ways to get your brand on track, Force 5 can help!
Its Springtime! – Time to dust off that Brand.
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 by David MorganWith spring time comes spring cleaning. Dusting off the shelves, cleaning out the garage (still need to do that!…), and just a general wash down and clean up – it’s work, but it really feels good when you are all done!
Spring is a great time of year. Finally, FINALLY, the color green returns, flowers sprout, and everyone has a little more spring in their step as the sun gradually warms up the world.
So how about spring cleaning your brand? In the winter of 09, (actually all last year) many companies “hunkered down” just to make it through the recession. Amidst the layoffs and reduced sales, marketing and promotional activities also took a hit. Even though studies have shown that those who kept up their marketing activities in bad times come out of recessionary periods earlier and faster than those who didn’t –many companies just couldn’t do what they needed to do in regards to Brand building and marketing.
Now’s the time to get started.
Your brand is you life blood, it’s who you are—the soul of your company. EVERY marketing tactic, whether it’s a web site, a business card, or how you answer the phone is part of your brand.
Dusting off your Brand-
Let’s look at some basics to get you started this spring. We ask the question of our clients—Who are you, What do you do, and Why does it matter? These questions seem simple enough—but sometimes hard to answer—especially that last one.
You’ve heard the phrase “elevator speech”. That’s when someone says “Tell me about your company” when at a party, a trade show, or at lunch—or yeah, on the elevator. Do you have a concise statement that can answer all three questions? Do some work this spring on your elevator speech. The process of thinking through this is invaluable. After the elevator speech, you might be asked—“Wow, tell me more…” That’s when you might want to tell your back story…Back Story-
I really like this concept. Every Brand should have a Back Story. Basically, the premise is that every brand has a story—a story of how they got started, why they do what they do…. Brands don’t start at launch, they’ve been around awhile, and they have a story. And though a brand’s franchise is an important statement that tells us who the brand is, it doesn’t tell how the brand was born, or why it came to be. That’s why every brand needs a back story. Or else, why should anyone trust that brand? After analyzing a few brands’ websites and history, it was easy to see the ingredients in a great brand story: information delivered straight from the source and authentic. With authenticity comes transparency and credibility. The voice of the back story – whether that’s the company president or the employees also lends itself to credibility.
Look at these Stories:
One of my favorite companies is Kashi. Great marketing. Their story is told from both their marketing team and their product developers, inviting consumers to “meet us” on their website. Did you know they only have 70 employees?
Another one is Ocean Spray. Their story is told by a collective of three cranberry growers, citing their history as well as the history of cranberries and grapefruit.And the back story isn’t just a timeline and history of when Grandpa started the company, it’s the story of why.
What our brand samples are doing is a key example of a brand connecting with consumers on their level—a personal level. They’re not talking down to consumers – they’re talking with consumers. And with that approach, it opens up dialogue between the brand and the consumer.So, as part of your spring cleaning, do you have a concise elevator speech and brand back story? Sit out on the porch, watch the season come alive, and dust off your brand. Happy Spring from Force 5!
An American Brand
Monday, September 14th, 2009 by David Morgan-David Morgan, Certified Brand Strategist, Force 5
American clothes are making a comeback. In the Sept. 7 issue of Brandweek, there was an artiticle about “made in the USA” clothes becoming cool again. It seems that the research shows that we are buying American made products over cheaper products. Sixty four percent of those surveyed said that buying American brands is part of “what it means to be a good citizen today.” It seemed to me that American made clothing lost its luster several years ago. There were some exceptions, (L.L. Bean and others…), but even Jean Giant Levi took a hit from Calvin Klien and Sasson. Even if the brand seemed American, the garmet was being made in Indonesia. But the recession is changing all that. Consumers are “looking under the hood” a bit more–looking for that “made in Amerca tag” Woolrich, Zippo, Red Wing–all are having good sales. Buyers are looking at their roots – if its made in America, and you buy in America, there’s a job in America.
So whats the take away here? America has a brand. The spirit of America, the heart, the soul–is what people think about when they see that “made in America” tag. When I was a young guy, only cheap toys were “made in China”, and didn’t have a very good reputation. China reputation for quality goods has now changed. Countries have brands–whether they like it or not–whether they have tried to development it or not. Everyone and every company has a brand. What’s your take on this? Is “made in America, local, here at home” something you can capitalize on with your products? Think about it…
Brand vs. Commodity
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 by David Morgan(What you really need to know and understand about brand development)
There’s a lot of talk about Brand, Branding, and Brand Development. Its all important, and its all straightforward. The problem with most companies in regards to branding is that they haven’t taken time to understand the differences and more importantly, why they need to develop their brand.
Defining Brand:
Here’s what Webster’s says about the definition of a Brand: A Claim of distinction.
You see, without distinction, you’re brand “X”, or generic, or worse, a commodity. And we all know how commodities are traded – price. And when price becomes our only measurement of value, you loose – big time. Are you the low price leader? If so, you are fighting everyone in the marketplace. But if you have a claim of distinction then you rise above the fray. However, as Brand Strategists at Force 5, we have a problem with the word “Claim”.. It’s problematic in that anyone can make a claim. Given this, a more inarguable definition of a brand would be Evidence of Distinction. We work with our clients to find that evidence of distinction that makes them unique.
Brand development VS: Branding
There is a huge difference between branding and brand development. Brand development is the discovery process we go through to unearth our “Evidence of distinction,” and the development of communications of that differentiation. Branding is then, the tactical application of that distinction in all our communications materials. Branding might be a year long campaign using several tactics (broadcast, web, direct mail).
Brand development is not a marketing initiative.
Brand development is a corporate initiative. At Force 5 we believe that in order for a distinctive brand to be deliverable, it must be discovered and adopted at the very top echelon – the CEO, COO, President, VP of Marketing/Marketing director, etc. Once the discovery process is completed, and all of us have shared in the authorship of a brands unique distinction, then we’ll hand it off to marketing for advancement.
What’s your brand?